Run for my money

My time in India has been rich in experience and, well, poor-making. I'm not going to break even. I lost money on this whole crazy ordeal. hahahaha (It's either laugh or cry, folks!) I'm still glad I came because I learned things about myself and the world that I really needed to. But, man, I didn't expect to fight for every last rupee!!

First, it was 3/4 of the way through September before I got paid all of my August salary. It was 6 weeks into my time here when I was informed I'd have to pay for my stay in the company guest apartment for every night over the initial 20. It would've amounted to a half month's salary. I was also told that it wasn't possible to pay me all of my September salary on the last day of work (today, the 30th!) and I'd have to wait for some unspecified date in early October. I included these points in a letter to the director of HR and she agreed to my terms -- full August payment by the end of the next working day, no charge for the guest house, and full September payment by today. The stress of it all was too much.

Second, I now have all the rupees in hand (minus the mandatory deductions for a pension account which I haven't decided whether or not to fight the Indian IRS for ... sigh), but am having trouble turning them into dollars. I went to a forex shop today and the guy told me I can only exchange up to $200 unless I get a letter from the company saying I worked there and should be allowed to exchange xxxx amount of rupees. Grrrrr! I will truly miss being here, but this type of thing makes me

want

out

NOW!

I'll figure it out somehow. Come hell or high water, I'm leaving tomorrow night for Singapore. I'll get to celebrate my sister's birthday on the 5th, play with my newly-signing baby niece (she can "say" milk!), and get loads of hugs. It's hard to go two stressful months without any real hugs. Then, it's on to Austin!!

I'm so excited about that move. It feels right. Three months ago, I was hell bent against having a job in the States. It wasn't where I wanted to be. I didn't see how it would help me get what I want. I wanted out. Desperately, feverishly. I needed out. Now, it seems so perfectly obvious that the U.S. is where I should be, making a proper salary (that's paid on time!!), a name for myself professionally, and a life built on something more solid than blind optimism, the desire for adventure, and rupees I can't turn into dollars.